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Arimidex - Coping with the SE's

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Comments

  • gmafoley
    gmafoley Member Posts: 5,978

    Well Ladies...I feel kinda like a failure...I know, I know I'm not... the headaches just seemed to be getting worse and the Robaxin was taking the edge off but after a month (was almost out of pills), I decided to call the ONC back... He told me to stop immediately and call him back in 3 weeks.... why so long??? I feel like he is mad at me for not conforming to the regime.... I really tried Cry... He will decide then what I'm supposed to try next... On the other hand, is something new coming out in 3 weeks???

     Ok my moan and groan...Good news is I don't have any of the other aches and pains yet... Thank you for reading and putting up with me...

  • tinat
    tinat Member Posts: 2,235

    GmaFoley:  He probably wants to give you a break from the headaches before starting something new.  Start fresh, so to speak.  Hope they come up with a plan for you quickly so you're not waiting and wondering for longer than 3 weeks!

    Hang in there!!!

  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 47,699

    I'm sure it's like Tina says, he wants give it time to make sure that either: the headaches clear up, which means they were Arimidex related, or you still get them, which would mean Arimidex isn't the cause. Then you will know for sure either way before you plan your next step. Lots of people have to try different things to get to plan that is right for them. Don't be discouraged.

  • gmafoley
    gmafoley Member Posts: 5,978

    Thanks Tina and Ruthbru... we already know it is the arimidex because I have already taken one break and the headache stopped and 3 days after starting it back up the headache came back...I was just hoping it would go away after a couple/3 weeks but didn't.... I'm pretty sure you 2 are probably right... he said earlier he was going to switch me to the new generic Femara but seemed to change his mind and just said we would discuss the next med in 3 weeks..

  • Plord1019
    Plord1019 Member Posts: 1

    Good Morning ladies...

    I am starting on arimidex today after have extreme muscle aches in legs, fatigue and lower back pain on Femara...Hopefully Arimidex will be better for me.

  • tinat
    tinat Member Posts: 2,235
    Plord1019:  Here you go.......  Good luck!!!
  • shells43
    shells43 Member Posts: 499

    Hi Kitty, I'm taking Effexor with Arimidex (generic anastrazole). I started the A in January but didn't start Effexor til about June when I complained of severe hot flashes and aches & pains. It really helped a lot and I feel pretty good most days. I also try to walk or ride my bike every day to keep things moving! I have also lost 18 lbs so far, mostly since I started exercising.

  • gmafoley
    gmafoley Member Posts: 5,978

    Plord: It sounds like you and I are switching - My doc is talking about switching me from arimidex to Femara... I pray the switch will be good for both of us!!! Amen!!! I am walking and walked all the way through the month of arimidex... had no real feet or joint issues only the back of the head (which kinda is a joint) and jaw muscles... I am starting to think the SE's hit your weakest joints, which for me, is the neck and jaw... On a positive note - at least we have other meds to try Smile!!! Good Luck!!!

  • OG56
    OG56 Member Posts: 377

    Haven't been on this thread in ages but thought I would tell you that I have had minimal SE from the Arimidex, hot flashes and some aches and pains maybe. I started having bad back pain and really hot hot flashes. My onc wanted to do a bone scan, instead I put myself on a 3 week break and low and behold no back pain at all, and hmmm my mojo was there again, hot flashes weren't so hot.

     I am back on it now and we will see. I was just glad to know that when I finish in 2 years all the SE will go away!

    Keep Cool !!

    Linda

  • Katarina
    Katarina Member Posts: 99

    Hi Ladies --- Joining this thread as I start Arimidex mid Sept. 

    Anyone know what a normal dosage is?

    Hugs

    Kat 

  • tinat
    tinat Member Posts: 2,235

    Katarina - Hi, I believe 1mg / day is the standard dose.  I've had some SEs, but nothing really major for me so far...

    Good luck!

  • juli0212
    juli0212 Member Posts: 801

    Taking Aromasin, 25mg/1x/day.

    37antiques:  I have had hyperparathyroidism for many years, had a parathyroidectomy in 2002, and did not have ANY pain in bones/joints until after the surgery ironically.  For them to 'dismiss' your rib pain is unprofessional.  I'd have asked for at least an x-ray or CT scan of the chest.   One can never be too careful once we've been dx'd with cancer.  Then you can rule these things out.  Good Luck!

    As far as damage from hurricane Irene.  Where we live, we are fine.  Where my BF drives for work, it is utter destruction.  (Schoharie County/Prattsville-Gilboa, NY)  It is absolutely unreal what has happened in that area, and not far from us (about a mile) houses were under water, completely off their foundations.  Yes, it was the worst destruction seen ever in our area.  We don't usually see National Guardsman around here!    Best to everyone~~~~juli

  • KittyDog
    KittyDog Member Posts: 656

    The dose of Arimidex (generic name anastrozole) is one 1 mg tablet taken once a day.

    The recommended dose of Aromasin (generic name is exemestane)  is one 25 mg tablet. 

  • Sandeeonherown
    Sandeeonherown Member Posts: 1,781

    hmmm. I have not had a headache since I stopped my period three years ago (tyhough they just gave me the official yes you are menopausal after my latest blood tests!)...would not like to hav ethem again and do not want to add to my insomnia...(ie . writing this at midnight hwen I have to be up at 5am for a flight)...the night meds I take help knock me outbut don't keep me out but I do not want to go on anything stronger. What if femara used for...sleep? hot flashes?

    Weight gain...not going to happen....plan on walking to school and continuing to paddle!

  • tinat
    tinat Member Posts: 2,235
    Sandeeonherown:  Paddle on!!!
  • gmafoley
    gmafoley Member Posts: 5,978
    Thought I would share some good news with my sisters.... my son called me this week and was able to offer me a stay-at-home computer job... he talked to his bosses and they ok'd it... my husband is also merging his business with his friend's business and his friend is going to beable to write him a regular paycheck.... even though our finances are in the pits...we can at least pay our house payment and living expenses....God is good!!!  We went to a credit help place last week and they told us we couldn't go bankrupt because we had too much equity in the house...even though we couldn't get to the equity.... with some regular paychecks that might change and maybe we could get our payments lowered... Again God is good!!!

    All my SISTERS - have a great holiday weekend!!!  
  • Sandeeonherown
    Sandeeonherown Member Posts: 1,781

    GMAFoley! congratulations...must be a huge weight off your shoulders!

  • KittyGirl2011
    KittyGirl2011 Member Posts: 324

    Hi Everyone,  Just checking in here to see how everyone is doing.  So far the only SE I seem to have from the Arimidex is some extra hair is falling out.  Not too bad considering the possible other SE's.  I hope eveyrone has a great holiday weekend.  I have to work but so does my DH so we'll have time off during the week.  Take Care.  Kitty

  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 47,699

    Glad to hear your news, GMA!

  • Stilts
    Stilts Member Posts: 228

    Happy to say I started Arimidex about one week ago...not noticing any side effects yet !!!

  • Sandeeonherown
    Sandeeonherown Member Posts: 1,781

    yzy...i want to hear all the positive things between now and october:)I wasn't scared of tamoxifen until it cause a side effect of a heart attak (at th ag of 48) so...I am ALOT more hesitant an

    about this ...so any good things you can say abo ut them would also be greatully apprecaited.

    Sandee

  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 47,699

    sandee, most people have fewer SEs on arimidex. I won't be able to use the correct medical terminology.... but Tamoxifen has more potential dangerous SEs because it has to be harsher (my words) to squash the greater amounts of estrogen produced by pre-menopausal women. Post-menopausal women produce less estrogen already, so don't need as powerful of a drug.

  • gasurvivor2011
    gasurvivor2011 Member Posts: 150

    Two months about for me now on Arimidex. Doing pretty well. Sore joints at times- but less bone pain than I had early on. Stiffness in the morning.

    So much easier than chemo was. I have been pleasantly surprised it's far easier than I imagined. I had  a rough time w/ chemo so was bracing myself this would be too. It's nowhere near that tough.

  • zenith4289
    zenith4289 Member Posts: 137

    I thought I had the SE's from arimidex under control then about 2 months ago started having blurriness in the right eye.  I finally went to opthamologist who put me thru all kinds of tests and could not find any reason for it.  the blurriness comes and goes.  I also noticed an increase in headaches so the onc thinks maybe arimidex caused the headaches that caused the blurriness so am on 2 week break from arimidex.  Have been off arimidex for 10 days and just starting to have less headaches and no blurriness now for 5 days.  the plan is to switch to femara. 

    I am worried now though because 2 days after i stopped arimidex i noticed right rib pain.  A year ago before starting chemo i had a "spot" on my right rib but radiologists think it is an old fracture.  (can't remember any injury thought)  Last bone scan in may and the spot was decreased so onc said he wouldn't order any more bone scans.  Why does every ache and pain send our anxiety through the roof? 

     Gmafoley - glad to hear your news.  sounds like we are having similar SE's of arimidex.  Before BC i had migraines and took Axert for it.  Axert is a miracle drug for me as it gets rid of persistent, bad headaches (never had classic migraine symptoms) but the copay is $5 a pill and it doesn't go generic until next year.  have had an increase in use of axert since july.  PCP says if it was a tumor the axert wouldn't work.

     I think my copay for femara will be more.  gonna go look it up now.  Hope everyone is having a great labor day!

  • gmafoley
    gmafoley Member Posts: 5,978
    Zenith4289: I have now been off for 10 days and headache is gone.... Onc told me to wait 3 weeks then call him back... discussion was that femara will be next choice.. not sure if he changed his mind or not, but at our Costco has the generic femara for $22.47 a month or 47.00 for 3 months....I don't have prescription insurance so that is no insurance price...actually cheaper than arimidex..
  • patoo
    patoo Member Posts: 5,243

    Question - if you can't remember whether you took your arimidex do you

    a) take one and possibly have a double dose that day or

     b) don't take it until the next day?

    Happened to me yesterday and I wasn't sure which way to go.

  • BobbiMarie
    BobbiMarie Member Posts: 29

    Well, I had that happen kind of - although I thought I may have taken 2 and was worried I had OD'd.  The info I got was not to worry - much higher levels should be tolerated.  That said, might be a good question for your doc or your pharmacist.

     I stopped Arimidex last week because my blood pressure was spiking and I have never had high BP before.  I had only been on it 2 weeks but my legs were swollen, my hands were swollen, I had dry eyes and did not realize how rotten I felt until I stopped taking it.  I'm going through rads right now and am going to wait to start another med until I am done with them.  Too much to tolerate and work more than full time along with all of life's other things to do.  Sounds like Femara might be what I want to ask for as the next one.  Any one have major concerns on Femara?

  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 47,699

    I have one of those daily pill dispensers so when I can't remember if I took it or not, then I can look and see if 'Wednesdays' pill is gone....which hopefully means I've taken it. A couple times I have forgotten and taken the pill late in the day & again the next morning, and one day I found one on the floor. I couldn't decide if I missed my mouth that morning, or if it had been there for awhile or what....so I took it, and maybe double dosed! Good Grief, what I think I need is one of those memory pills!!!!

  • patoo
    patoo Member Posts: 5,243

    ruth, I have one of those as well but haven't used it except to carry on vacation.  I can usually stop and go over my morning in my head and remember whether I took it or not (I keep a few at work) but it's rare I forget.  Have Onc appt next week and will try and remember to ask (can I have one of your memory pills!)

    Thanks BobbiMarie for your post.  Also want to comment that many SE's subside somewhat when on arimidex; sometimes after only weeks or maybe even months but I do think it was a good call to stop until you finish rads  

  • tinat
    tinat Member Posts: 2,235

    I take mine in the evening and definitely forgot one day.  Remembered late the following morning.  I called and was told to skip it and just resume my usual dose in the evening...